Printing press



A. c. CHRISTOPHERSON PRINTING PRESS.

I APPLICATION FI LED DEC.30| I920.

1,41 1,268. Pa ted pr- 4, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET lkzg/ A. C. CHRISTOPHERSON.

PRINTING PRESS..

APPLICATION FILED 050.30.192o.

Patented Apr. 4,1922.

2 SHEET$-SHEET 2- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED C. 'CHRISTO PHERS'ON,"F -MENASHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIG-N'OR TO HACKERMANUFACTURING Co., or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION or ILLINOIS.

PRINTING PRESS.

' 1 all whomit may concern:

I Be it known that L ALFREn Cniusro- 7 PHnRso citizen of the' UnitedStates, residingat Menash'a, in the county of Winnebago and State ofWisconsin, have, invented a cer 'tainnewrand useful Improvement inPrinting Presses, of which the following is a full,

- avoid anyincrease in "theprinting pressure between the printing.members' I further provide means for rendering the printing Clear,concise, and exact description.

My invention relates to printing pressesv that employ complementalprinting members at least; one of whichfis in the form of a cylinder,these printingmeinbers being equipped with; bearers which limit theextent to which suchmembers may be approached under the influence ofprinting pressure exerting means which, in accordance with my invention,is so interrelated with the cylinder, or one of the cylinders if bothprinting members are cylindrical, as to effect the engagement of suchcylinder with the complemental printing member with the 'requisite[pressure required in the printing opera- 'tion. 7 If the printingspacedefined by the. contacting bearersshould be too narrowto 4,'acfcommodate the paperv being printed upon and the printing form orelement that are between'the printing members inthe 'printing operation,the aforesaid printing pressure efi'e cting means will yield to permitsuchv separation of the bearers that would 7 pressure exerting meansfunctionless for its purpose to enable or permit separation of h .1

operation of the press.

The printing pressure exerting means is preferably in the form of springmechanism which is effective, in the printing operation, tomovetheprinting cylinder member into printing relation with the othermember andto maintain the bearers of these members in contact if the printingformand'the paper being printe d upon together do not exceed the properprinting depth or type height,

the spring mechanism yielding to p'ermitia separation of the bearers if.the aggregate depth of the printing form and the paper beingpri'ntedup'on is excessive. By the construction of my invention theprinting pressure between the printing cylinder'memv her and thecomplement'al printing member of a press cannot exceed the printingpressure exerting-force of the spring mechai-nting members in thenon-printing I Specification of Letters Patent. Patented 4 ,v 1922,Application filed December 30, 1920. Serial No. 434,030.

nism, the printing cylinder member that is directly influenced by thespring mechanism yielding,.in opposition to the force'of the springmechanism,if the a regate depth of the printing form and paper isexcessive', to ja polnt at whichthe spring mechanism ex erts theprinting pressure for which it is designed.

Hitherto. separation between, the bearers of the printing members of apress, due to the pressure thereon ofthe printingfo'rm -matter of thepresent application is a form of the invention more broadly covered inmy copendlng application Serial No. 434,029

filed Dec. 30, 1920'.

I will explain my invention more fully by reference to the accompanyingdrawings showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Fig 1 isa. viewfin side elevation of one form of printing press constructed inaccordance withtheinvention; Fig.2

is asectional viewon line 2L2 of Fig. '1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional viewon line 3 31ofFig.

-2-;-Fig.4 is a view looking at oneside of the press showing partsthereof on alarge'r scale, portions being broken away and other por-'tions beingshown in section; and Fig. 5 is' a sectional view on line 5-5of Fig. 4.

' Like parts are indicated similar charof the frame and assembledtherewith by.

means .of the bolts 3. Upright supports 4 carry the rotating shaft '6 of the printing cylinder 7 these supports finding a substantially fixedaxis of rotation for the cylinder in the printing operation and another"fixed axis of rotation for the clinder in I the, non printing-joperation.

The printing cylinder is provided with the usual'bearers 13 at the sidesof the press 7 and the bed is provided with the usual bearers 14, alsoat the sides of the press, upon which the bearers 13 roll as the bed ismoved in each printing operation, these bearers, whencontacting,defin.ing the normal printing space between the printingmembers 7 and 10. Coiled springs 15, one upon each side of the press,constitute the preferred means for effecting the desired printingpressure. The'upper end of each of these springs has an abutment 16fixedly assemh bled with the lower ends of the rods 17 that arethemselves fixedly carried by the frame 1 .from which the rods depend,nuts'18serving to clamp the abutment 16 against the larger portions ofthe rods. The lower end of each spring has a floating abutment 19. A rod20 is in threaded engagement with the abutment 19, there being also locknuts21 upon the rod 20 to llOld'thlS rod and the abutment 19 in fixedrelation; 1 The upper end of the rodj2O is provided with a nut v '22engageable with the top of the corresponding'fixed abutment 16. Eachahutment 19 and thecorresponding boltnut 22' are 'so 'spaced apart thatwhen the spring 15 therebetween is effecting printing pressure, duringthe printing stroke of the bed,

through the elements hereinafter to'be de scribed, the nut '22 will notcontact with the abutment '16 but; when the adjustment 1s such that'thecylinder 7 is to be raised for the non-printing stroke of the bed or toseparate the printing members at any dosiredtimethe nut 22 will engagethe abutment .16to act as a stop to'p'revent the spring from exertingprinting pressure'in order that the cylinder 7 may then be raised awayfromthe'bed 10.

As illustrated, each spring 15 performs its function through acontinuation 23 of the rod '20, this continuation 23 being in snugsliding fit with a verticalopening in the corresponding side' of theframe 1 as is also the corresponding support 4. The upper end'ot eachrod continuation 23 is in adjustable threaded connection with "the lowerside of the corresponding floating block 24 upon the-same side of thepress with the "engaging rod continuation 23. Each floating block24supports a bearing" '25. A shaft 28 isjou rnaled in both bearings 25.This shaft, in thecase of arhand operated press, is provided with acrank 29 by which the shaft may he turned in. its al gned bearings 25.CO-flXlitl circular elements 30 are formed or otherwisefixed upon and ineccentric relation to each end of the shaft 28 so that the operationseffected by the movementsofthe crank 29 upon one other side of thepress. 7

For the printing stroke the crank 29 is turned to bring the axis of theeccentrics 30 below the axis of the shaft 28 ,In this side of the pressare duplicated upon the v adjustment the upright supports 4; are .de-

pressed by the eccentrics 30 fwith jrespectlto the axis of the shaft28,z'tndtagainst" tl force of the springs 15 whereby the g1 force that isdetermined by the springs,the

eccentrics 30 serving so to position theslides 24 and the floatingabutments 19 connected therewith as to define workingclearances i ngcylinder 7 is pressed toward the comple mental printin'ggmember with ayielding between the abutments or stops 22jand the fixed abutments 16 soas to permitithe springs 15 to exert printing pressure to an extent thatis limited only by the: bearers l3 an'd l l or by the printing form andpaper passing or interposed between theprinting The spring effectedprintlng' members.

pressure is maintained during the printing stroke ofthe printing bed 10thatis effect ed during the rotation of the cylinder 7 one direction andthrough the intermediation of the spur'gear 35 co-raxial with saidcylinder and the rack 36 fixed upon one side of the printing bed. Duringthe non-printraised 'sufliciently to separatelthe bearers 13 andlaflnaccordance with common p; c-

"r00 ing stroke of the bed the cylinderis tojbe tice. The extent towhich the cylinder] is 7 raised is insufiicienttouncouplethegear'elements and 36st) that when tlie :cyl der 7 1s reversely' rotated inthe non-q .ing stroke the bed 10 may be moved in opposite direction fromthat "1n avh cl 'itp was moved in the printing stroke] (lei-to raise thecylinder.- 7 .for'jthe nonprinting stroke the crank 29 is me raise theeccentrics SO. I In the first the raising movement otthese eccentricsthe "bolt nuts 22'ar'e engaged. with the top sides" of the abutments 16.lVhen these bolt nuts have engaged these abutinents the springs 15 canno-longer function to exert downward pressure upon the blocks 24:so'that, uponcontinuation of the eccentric raislng movement of the crank2 9, the upright supportse will'be raised from the bed' l Ofonly to SuchanvfiXtent that the gear elemen and 36 will not be unmeshed but to tentwhich will secure the desired sop;

tion of the bearers ltra'nd 215 i tenths-nonp t s e n-v I 'The spacingbetween the bolt nuts 22 and the abutment 1 6, that i Present when the,

springs 15 are performing their function, is

trics '30 that said bolt nuts will encounter the abutments "16during'the first small portion of the cylinder raising'movement of thecrank 29 so thatupon'further movement of this crank the eccentrics 30may function to raise. the cylinder 7 unopposed by the action of thespring;

' It will be observedirom the foregoing description that the. springmechanismjis adjust'able to determine the degree of printingpressurethat is to be exerted thereby whereby such pressure may besuited to the character of the printing to be performed and the natureof the printing elements employed.

larly described the preferred embodiment of my invention I do not wishto be limited to I printing pressure exerting meansoperating uponsaidcylinder to maintain the bearers in contact during the printingoperation and permitting separation of the engaging bearers to preventundue increase of the printing pressure; and means for separatingtheengaging bearers. 1

2. A printing'press including two printing members one of which is arotatable cylinder mounted to be movable toward and from the othermember and to have a substantially fixed axis of rotation whileprinting, each printing member being provided with bearers engaging thebearers upon the other; printing pressure exerting means operating uponsaid cylinder to maintain the 'bear ers in contact during the printingoperation.

and permitting separation of the engaging bearers to prevent undueincrease of the printing pressure; and means for separating the engagingbearers and for then depriving the printing pressure exerting means ofits function.

3. A printing press including two printing members one of which is arotatable cylinder mounted to be movable toward and-- from the othermemberand to have asubstantially'fixed axis of rotation-while print ing,each printing member being provided with bearers engaging the bearersupon the.

. other; printing pressure exerting springmeans operating upon saidcylinder to While I have herein shown and particumaintain the bearers incontact during the printing operation and permitting separation o1 theengaging bearers to prevent un due increase of the printing pressure;and

means for separating the engaging bearers.

4. printing press including two printmg members one of which isarotatable cylinder mounted to be movable toward and from the othermember and to have a substantially fixed axis of rotationwhile print- 11g, ach print ngmember being provided with bearers engaging the bearersupon the other; printing pressure exerting spring means operating uponsaid cylinder to maintain the bearers in contact during the printingoperation and permitting separation of the engaging bearers to preventundue increase of the printing pressure; and means for separating theengaging bearers and for then depriving the printing pressure exertingmeans of its function.

5. A printing press including two print ing members one of which is arotatable cylinder mounted to be movable toward and from the othermember, which is in the form of areciprocating bed, and to have asubstantially fixed axis of rotation while printing, each printingmember being provided with bearers engaging the bearers upon the other;printing pressure exerting means operating upon said cylinder tomaintain the bearers in contact during the printing opera- 'tion andpermitting separation of the engaging bearers to prevent undueincreaseofthe printing pressure; and means for separating theengaglngbearers.

6. A'printing press including two print-' ing. members one of which is arotatable cylinder mounted to be movable toward and from the othermember, which is in the form of a reciprocating bed, and to'have a substantially fixed axis of rotation while printing, each printing memberbeing provided with bearers engaging the bearers upon, the other;printing pressure exerting means operating upon said cylinder tomaintain the bearers in contact during the printing operation andpermitting separation of theengaging bearers to prevent undue increaseof the printing pressure; and means for separating thev engaginghbearersand for then stantially fixed axis of rotation while. printing, eachprinting member being provided with bearers engaging the bearers uponthe other; printing pressure exerting spring means operating upon saidcylinder to maintain the bearers in contact during the printingoperation and permitting separation of depriving the printing pressureexerting the engaging bearers to prevent undue in crease of the printingpressure; and means for so aratin the en a in bearers. i b b 8., Aprinting press including tWo printmg members one of Which is a rotatablecyllnder .mounted to be movable toward and from the other member, whichis in the form of a reciprocating bed, and to have a substantially fixedaxis of rotation While printing, each. printing member being providedWith bearers engaging the bearers upon the other;

printing pressure exertingspring means opprinting pressure; 7 and meansfor separat-V ing the engaging bearers andvfor then depriving theprinting pressure exerting means of its function. r I V p In WitnesswhereoflI hereunto subscribe my name this'24'th day of December A. D,

ALFRED C, CHRISTOPHERSONv

